


A New Rebellion Breathed Into Life

by misskatieleigh



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi - Fandom, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 12:09:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13053705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misskatieleigh/pseuds/misskatieleigh
Summary: “General Organa is alive. She's in a coma, and they don't know - they don't.” She choked a little, then gathered herself and continued. “Regardless, the next highest ranking officer in the chain of command is Admiral Rook.”





	A New Rebellion Breathed Into Life

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for The Last Jedi, obviously.

Commander D’Acy stood in front of them. Well, what was left of them. Poe could see her hands shaking from where he sat, but her face was as calm as ever. He didn’t know which was more comforting - perhaps it was the combination of the two. 

“General Organa is alive. She's in a coma, and they don't know - they don't.” She choked a little, then gathered herself and continued. “Regardless, the next highest ranking officer in the chain of command is Admiral Rook.”

“Rogue One on the bridge!”

He wasn’t sure who said it, but every pilot in the room stood up and snapped to attention. Poe could have grinned, if his heart wasn't aching so much. The split second thought that she had been about to say his name swung around inside him, burning everything it touched. That was guilt, his brain supplied unhelpfully. How much of this was his fault?

Admiral Rook stepped through the line of officers, rubbing his hand over the line of his jaw. He looked exhausted and then a little abashed when he noticed the pilot's attention, eyes scanning the room.

He looked as handsome as ever, steel gray cutting through the shock of black hair pulled back into a hastily done braid, even though Poe cringed to have thought that. _‘Not the time, Dameron.’_

“At ease, everyone. Please.” The Admiral sighed and attempted a smile. The effort it took was obvious, set off by the redness around his eyes. He began to walk, slowly, around the room.

“I know this is difficult, and you certainly weren't expecting me to be in charge. It might seem impossible, but that's nothing new. A friend of mine once said something, standing on a stolen shuttle on a beach, with every odd stacked against us. She said, ‘Take the next chance, and the next, until all our chances are spent.’ It doesn't seem very comforting, perhaps, but I'm prepared to take any chance there is to keep this Resistance alive. I can only hope the rest of you are with me.”

He stopped in front of Poe then, familiar brown eyes looking into his own. Poe swallowed back the shame gathered in his throat. “Rebellions are built on hope, Sir.”

The Admiral nodded, and his shoulders relaxed the tiniest amount. “Thank you, Commander.”

Poe ducked his head. “It's, um, Captain now, actually.”

“Call it a field promotion.”

Poe had to bite his lip to keep from grinning, but the twitch at the corner of the Admiral’s mouth said that he wasn’t hiding it very well. He turned his back to Poe then, addressing the rest of the room. “Alright everyone, let’s try to get ourselves back into some semblance of order, assess where the fleet is at, then I’ll pass information down through your superior officers.” He paused, looking around at everyone, then folded his hands together at the small of his back. “Dismissed. Thank you.”

Poe turned on his heel, searching out his squadron as the crew dispersed. A hand at his elbow stopped him, and he turned to meet the Admiral’s suddenly softer expression. 

“A word, Poe?”

Nodding, Poe followed the Admiral into what was apparently serving as his office, nothing as clean and austere as the General’s had been, but it had a door that could be closed, which the Admiral did. Then he gathered Poe into his arms and pulled him in against his chest with shaking hands. 

“Kriff, Poe.”

Poe fell into the embrace gratefully, breathing in the familiar scent of spice and engine grease hidden under an officer’s uniform. 

“Fancy seeing you here.”

“Don’t joke,” he admonished, pulling back to cup Poe’s face with one hand. “I’m glad you’re safe.” 

Poe had to force himself to take a step back, as much as he would have liked to bury himself in Bodhi’s embrace, there were larger things at stake.

“So, I know you didn’t call me in here just to hug me.” Poe didn’t fight the grin on his face that time, laughing when Bodhi shoved him in the shoulder. 

“Oh, I absolutely did, you little shit. But also, I need to know that you’re with me here. I know they just made some big show out there, but they don’t know me. They _trust_ you, so I need your support, or this whole thing could fall apart.”

Poe clenched his jaw and swallowed back the sick feeling that surged up from his stomach. “I don’t know how much good will I’ve got coming to me right now. We lost a lot of good people on my orders.”

Bodhi drew in a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh. “It’s hard, being the one that has to make those choices. Trying to explain them after the fact. But I know you, Poe Dameron, and you have your mother’s heart. Getting that dreadnaught off our tail is the only reason this ship still exists.” 

It was like a weight being lifted off his shoulders, and Poe felt himself start to shake from the lack of having to carry it. Tears filled his eyes, his hand coming up to clutch at the ring hanging on a chain around his neck. He swallowed, looking up to meet Bodhi’s eyes with renewed determination. 

“Permission to bring Rogue Squadron out of retirement, Sir?” 

Bodhi’s smile held thirty years worth of loss layered under peace, and Poe hoped he understood the sentiment behind his request. He gave a short nod, then patted Poe on the arm. “Why not. Might as well come full circle, maybe it will get the Force back on our side again.”

Poe stepped toward the door, then paused and looked over his shoulder at Bodhi. “Just to be clear, you do have a plan, right?”

Bodhi sighed, walking up beside Poe and pulling the door open. “A plan might be exaggerating a little. We have a last resort. Any chance you’ve got someone who could give us an advantage? Some inside knowledge of what the First Order are thinking right now?” 

Out of the corner of his eye, Poe saw Finn come barreling onto the bridge, a mechanic in a yellow jumpsuit trailing just behind. “You know what? I just might.”

There was a glimmer of hope on the horizon, calling for them to chase it. Until all their chances were spent. 

Poe grinned. He wasn’t going down without a fight.


End file.
